Listen, y’all — gather ‘round because I have a story. 😩 You ever try to do the right thing, be supportive, uplift your people, and somehow still end up in a full-blown scene that makes you question humanity and customer service? That was me last weekend in St. Louis at the Beauty Expo.
Now before I even walked in, everybody was chanting the same thing — “Support Black businesses! Keep the dollar in the community!” And I’m like, period! I’m all for it. I came ready to browse, spend a little, network a little, and mind my business. But baby… the math wasn’t mathing, and neither was the energy. 💅🏾
💄 The Setup
So my sister-in-law spots this cute little booth selling eyeliners, glosses, and lashes that look like they could take flight. She picks up a nice eyeliner — $17. Cool. She hands the lady a crisp $20 bill. Easy transaction, right? WRONG.
The vendor looks up with the calmest chaos energy and says, “Oh… I don’t have change.”
Excuse me? Not “let me check,” not “give me a moment,” just straight up, “I don’t have change.”
Ma’am, it’s 2:47 in the afternoon — you’ve been sitting there since 10 AM, and you mean to tell me not one person has paid you with cash? You done made all that “support Black businesses” noise, but you can’t break a twenty?
😒 The Plot Twist
Now, my sister-in-law — sweet, polite, but not one to play — goes, “Okay, so you owe me $3.”
The lady sighs. Sighs. Like we inconvenienced her. Then she starts doing this exaggerated purse search like she’s digging for buried treasure.
Baby, she pulled out everything but the money — old receipts, half a pack of gum, a church fan, two lip glosses, and a peppermint wrapper that had clearly been there since last summer. I’m standing there like, “What in the holy hustle is happening?”
After a good minute, she finally produces… a single dollar bill.
She slides it across the table like she’s paying off a car note.
My sister-in-law, bless her patience, says, “No ma’am. That’s one. You owe me two more.”
And the lady rolls her eyes. I mean, full head tilt, side-eye, attitude, and exhale combo. The kind you only see when somebody’s trying to convince you that you’re the problem.
She mutters, “You can’t just let it go? It’s three dollars.”
👀 The $3 Showdown
Now at this point, I’m clutching my bag because I already know we’re entering dangerous territory — the Customer Service Twilight Zone. The people walking by are staring like it’s the Real Housewives of the Beauty Expo.
And trust, if Bravo had been filming, that moment would’ve made the trailer:
“Next time on Beauty & the Booths…”
She only wanted her change… but got more than she bargained for.
The vendor gives this fake smile like she’s doing my sister-in-law a favor. “Let me see if I got some ones.” She goes back into the same purse she just searched — and lo and behold, like a miracle, two more singles appear. 🙌🏾
She slaps them down on the table, no “thank you,” no “sorry about that,” just attitude and edge.
Now, here’s where I almost lost it. The booth next to her — another Black-owned vendor — was watching everything go down. And instead of stepping in to de-escalate or at least whisper, “Sis, chill, you’re messing up your brand,” they were just smirking. Like it was the evening news.
🤔 The Aftermath
We walked away, eyeliner in hand, but the vibe? Completely ruined. Because the whole “support Black businesses” energy had been replaced by “I need a refund and a drink.”
Let’s be real — it’s not about the three dollars. It’s about the principle.
When we talk about supporting our own, it can’t just be about money; it has to be about professionalism, respect, and consistency. Don’t call for community support if you’re not going to bring your A-game to the table.
If your booth looks good, your product looks good, and your attitude is nasty — it cancels out everything. You can’t build loyalty on lip gloss and bad energy.
💬 The Real Talk
Here’s my thing — I love my people. I love seeing us win. But this “attitude-for-no-reason” customer service epidemic? We gotta fix that ASAP.
If you’re a small business owner, here are some free tips (from me, to you):
- Bring change. You’re at a cash-heavy event. Don’t let $3 be the reason you lose a repeat customer.
- Be professional even when you’re tired. You never know who’s watching or blogging (👀).
- Remember — word travels faster than Wi-Fi. One bad interaction can go viral before your next sale.
- Keep that same “support Black businesses” energy. Because support goes both ways.
And if you’re a customer like me, here’s the flip side:
- Speak up (respectfully). Don’t let anyone shortchange you — literally or figuratively.
- Pay attention. Sometimes the vibe tells you everything you need to know before the money leaves your hand.
- Give grace — but don’t accept foolishness. Support doesn’t mean silence.
💅🏾 So, What Would You Do?
Now, this is where I need y’all. Because I’m genuinely conflicted. Should I have said something right then and there, or just let it go? Because while I love uplifting small businesses, I’m not about to let somebody play me over $3 and a bad attitude.
Would you:
A) Call it out in the moment and make it a teachable one,
B) Walk away and never support again, or
C) Pull a “Karen moment” and write a review — but make it classy? 😏
🗣️ Final Word
At the end of the day, supporting our own should feel good — not like we’re begging for basic respect. I shouldn’t have to choose between being loyal and being treated right.
So to every vendor, entrepreneur, and business owner out there: if you want us to “buy Black,” give us a reason to come back.
Because the truth is — we want to support you. We love to see you win. But if you’re out here with bad energy and missing change, don’t be surprised when the line starts looking real short.
Moral of the story? Next time, I’m bringing my own change — and maybe a camera crew, because this kind of drama deserves an episode. 🎬😂
Hashtags: #Storytime #BeautyExpoDrama #SupportBlackBusiness #CustomerServiceMatters #MessyMoments #ShadyChronicles #BlogTalk
Would you have called her out right there, or just walked away like a queen with your $17 eyeliner and dignity intact? 👑
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